Collapsible adjustable combined bookrest



1956 J. B. MURGIA 2,774,177

COLLAPSIBLE ADJUSTABLE COMBINED BOOKREST Filed Dec. 30, 1953 2Sheets-Sheet l 40 35 34 INVENTOR.

30 JOHN fiAzmr-A MUR 67A Dec. 18, 1956 J. B. MURGIA 2,774,177

COLLAPSIBLE ADJUSTABLE COMBINED BOOKREST Filed Dec. 50, 19s; 2Shets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR. JOHN 5112715274 MURGIA A TTORNE Y.

United States Patent COLLAPSIBLE ADJUSTABLE COMBINED BOOKREST JohnBattista Murgia, Englewood, N. J. Application December 30, 1953, SerialNo. 401,278

2 Claims. (Cl. 4560) This invention relates to supports, book rests,tray supports and the like and more particularly to collapsiblesupports, erectable and suitably adjustable for various supportingpurposes though it is noted that in some of the claims the invention isnot limited to book rests or tray supports nor even to collapsiblesupports.

Objects of the invention are to provide an improved support of this kindwhich is collapsible to occupy little space and is erectable to providea firm level support for a tray, as for instance a breakfast tray inbed, and is also adjustable to various angles suitable for a booksupport or to a near vertical position suitable for an artists easel.

Other objects of the invention are to provide an improved book holdingledge for supports of this kind which llS adjustable for various sizesof books and carries improved leaf holding fingers and is alsoreversible to adapt it to hold a picture on the support when used as aneasel.

Another object is to provide improved clamping means to clamp thesupport in adjusted position.

Additional objects of the invention are to effect simplicity andefficiency in such adjustable collapsible supports and to provide anextremely simple support of this kind which is easy to collapse andadjust and clamp in adjusted position, is strong, durable, and reliablein use and economical to manufacture, store and ship.

Still other objects of the invention will appear as the descriptionproceeds; and while herein details of the invention are described \inthe specification and some of the claims, the invention as described inthe broader claims is not limited to these, and many and various changesmay be made Wlill'OLiiZ departing from the scope of the invention asclaimed in the broader claims.

The inventive features for the accomplishment of these and other objectsare shown herein in connection with an improved collapsible adjustablebook rest, tray support and easel which briefly stated, includes a thinflat substantially rectangular somewhat elongated book and tray rest andeasel member disposed over supporting structure such as base barsdisposed under the end margins of the member by means of normallysubstantially parallel front and rear struts pivoted to the front andintermediate portions of said structure under said margins, the frontstruts being pivoted to the adjacent front corners of the member andlinks pivoted at one end to said member to the rear of the front strutand at the other to the rear strut. Means are provided for adjustablyclamping the links and rear struts together in position to hold thememher in different angular positions and horizontally. Legs are pivotedto the lower face of the member and normally disposable close under themember and adapted to rest vertically on said structure, when the memberis hori zcntal to hold a tray thereon.

A ledge is adjustably disposed on said member on which the lower edge ofan open book on the member may rest when the member is upwardlyrearwardly inclined.

A rod pivotally mounted on said ledge carries a pair of fingers adaptedto rest on leaves of a book on the member to be held thereby.

In the accompanying drawing showing, by way of example, two of manypossible embodiments of the invention,

2,774,177 Patented Dec. 18, 1956 "ice Fig. 1 is a perspective view ofthe collapsible support used as a book rest;

Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the support collapsed;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the collapsed support;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the support erected showeasel comprises asubstantially rectangular somewhat elongated thin bookand tray restplate member 10 having an inwardly curved waist receiving front edge'12. Front corner plates 14 (Fig. 2) welded or soldered or otherwisesecured to the lower face of the front corners of the rest member 10 areprovided with downturned front-corner perforated ears 16 parallel to andslightly inset from the end edges of the rest and with intermediate ears18 disposed a short distance to the rear of the front ears, parallel tothe end edges of the rest and nearer the edges than are said front ears.

A pair of spaced parallel base bars 20 are disposed substantially underthe end margins of the rest member 10, each bar having a slightlyrearwardly downwardly inclined main portion 22 slightly longer than therest member is wide and having downturning ends serving as feet 24 forthe bars. A front strut 26 about half as long as the main portion ispivoted by means of a rivet 28 at one end to the inner face of the frontend of each main 7 portion and at the other end fnictionally pivotallyriveted to the adjacent corner ear 16 and is adapted to pivotally moveto a position along the side of the main portion as in Figs. 3 and 4, orto an upright position (Fig. 4) or to intermediate position as in Fig.1.

A rear or intermediate strut 39 is pivoted at one end by means of arivet 32 to the outer side face of each main portion 22 slightly to therear of the mid part thereof and is disposable substantially upright(Fig. 4) or substantially against the rear part of the main portion(Fig. 3) or at intermediate positions (Fig. 1) parallel or approximatelyparallel to the adjacent front strut 26. A clamping pivot bolt 34 ispassed through the other or free ends of the rear struts and has a head36 at one end, and threads with thumb or wing nut 38 thereon at theother end. -A link 40 is pivoted at each end on said bolt 34 against theouter face of' each rear strut and at the other end frictionallypivotally riveted to the inner face of the adjacent intermediate ear 1%,whereby said rest member llS movable to approximately vertical andhorizontal and inclined raised positions relative to said base bars 20,as shown in dotted and solid lines in Fig. 4 and in solid lines in Fig.l, or to collapsed position adjacent to the base bars as in Fig. 3.

A stiff metal tube 41 on said bolt 34 is engageable with said rearstruts, whereby said thumb nut may be turned on the bolt to clamp therear struts to the links to cooperate withthe unavoidable inherentfriction of the rivets 28, 32 and the rivets in the cars 16 and 18tohold the links, struts and rest member in any of said around andanchored on said handle 68 serves [to. ca use v forcompactnessQforstorage or'shipping, when the sup- 'p'ort is, collapsed.I

dicular' to the rest member, and a base 52 disposed flat V 7 justably'hold the; ledge in position to hold-, for instance,

a book 66. The rivet heads 48 -may be moved to. and 10 passed.throughthe larger notches to remove the ledge from or onto, therestmember. 7 V i A pair of alined bearings ,titiymounted on; the outer. 1edg f f; he dg 50. frontward; 0.1:- below the extended plane; of the.active; face; of the ledge receive a; rod 62 Partially rotatable;insaidbearingsandcarrying a pair- Of; approximately radial: fingers. 64imounted .onisaid rodnear the ends thereof and adapted simultaneously to.rest' on the leayesof a book 66 to be held open thereby. A

handlefifaston therod' extendsfrontwardof the rod; and acoiled spring 70coiled aroundsaid rod with. one end, pressing on the lower. face of the.ledge and: the other end anchored on said handle, serves. to cause thefingers topress on the rest member, or. against leaves of an open bookthereon, to. hold. the book open a nd the leaves in proper position for.reading.

Fig. 5 shows a modified form of leaf holder for holding. sheets on therest member and for holding a book open on the rest member. Saidmodified form of leaf holdercomprises a single pieceof wire bent to formtwo straight alined rod portions 62' disposed substantiallyendto-endiand partially rotatablein a pair of alined-bearings 60 mountedon the outer edge of the ledge. 50 front- 7 ward or below the extendedplane of the active face of the ledge, the outer ends of saidportionsbeing bent frontwardly a short distance as at 63 and thenupwardiy I andrearwa'rdly to form approximately radial fingers 64 adaptedsimultaneously tov rest on the leaves of a book to be held open thereby.The wire at the inner ends of said rod portions is bentfrontwardlyandforrnedintoi 40 a handle 68. *A coiled spring 70' coiled around one.of

said rod portions 62 and having one end pressin v on the lower face ofthe ledge andthe other endwrapped the fingers 64' to press on the bookrest member or I. against sheets of paper on the rest member or leavesof V an open book on the rest.

My-collapsible support is alsov very suitablie for use as an artistseasel 'to hold a canvas or pioture'for' paint 5O disposed'at the angleshown by the dotted line ofeFig,

bar-.48 may-be reversed as shown by the dotted lines of them. frominterfering with the painting or marri g the As shown by the dotted line.QfFig, 3, theangle. bar 7 48 maybe removed from the upper face'of therest me'mn My improved collapsible 7' support is also usefuljforiholding a tray 72 in position, for instance, for a person. 1

lower .face of the frean cornersjfof the 'restfmemberf K 1 parallel tothe rear edge. ofthe latter havfe'ilegs 161 vfrictionally pivotallyriveted theretofand-"normal'ly.dis i a r posable' against the lower faceof the' r'earimargin of 'theZrest-member 1 am provided: with'notches.78111 the eating a meal inbed.. Ears 74 mg. Zlmounted on the 7 freeends" adapted to receive the rear part of zsald ma nf portionsZZ of thebase bar-when the book'res tis ho'ri i zontal and said legSThfe}substantially; verticalas in the solid' line. of Fig. 4, thereby to'hol'd -Itherest; member- 10 in horizontal: position to serve aslatrayiholder, 1: s

The'rest member 10 may be made of metal, wood,

fiberboard, plastic .or other suitable material, and the other parts ofthe support may be made of suitable metal or material. s

I clainias my invention:v

1. A collapsible support comprising a}, thinsubstan: tiallyrectangulansomewhat elongated member; a pair of spaced parallel basebars disposedunder the end marginsof the member; a front strutfrictionally pivotally riveted at one end-tothe frontend portion; offjeach bar and at the other. end. tothe adjacent front corner of themember; a rear strut frictionally pivotally riveted atone end to. each.bar. slightly to :the. rearv of thelmid par-t thereof; a clamping pivotboltpassed througlnthe; other end of eachv rear, strut and having aheadtat. one;

end and threads with thumb-nut thereonatthe-other. end-y aflink pivotedat one end. on said bolt and atthe other:

end to said member a short-distance to the rear ofithel' pivot point on:the member of the front strut; wherebysaid book rest is movable to.approximately vertical and:

edge of the member and provided *with notche sinthe free end adaptedtoreceive thebar when the member is horizontal and said legs aresubstantially vertical."

2; A collapsible support comprising a thin flatsubstantially rectangularsomewhat elongated bookjfrest member having at each front corner adownturned front corner ear, and a downturned intermediate-ear just tothe rear of the frontcorner ear;a pair of spaced par allel-jbase barsdisposed substantially'under the end margins of the rest member; saidbar having a slightly rear wardly' downwardly inclined mainportionslightly longer than the book rest is'widehaving'downturning HdSfSGITVEing as feet for the bars and support; afront strut about;

half as long as the'main portion frictionally pivotally riveted'at oneendgto the innerfac'e of. the front end .of each main portion and at theother. end-to each front corner ear of-said member and adapted topivotally move to a position alongthe side of'the main portion onto anupright position or to'intermediate.gpositions; a rear structfrictionally' pivotally riveted at one end to the outer 0,. side face ofsaid main portion'slightly to thelrear ofjthemid part thereof anddisposable upright or against the offeach rear strut andhavinga 'h'eadlat one end and threads with. thumb nut thereon at the other end; a linkf pivoted' a't'one end on said bolt' a'gainst'thefinner:face.

- of the rear strut and at therother'fe nd frictionally piyi H ota llyriveted to the intermediate. eafron fthe' lower face 'of the rest memberto the. rearof. the front corner part;

whereby said booli, rest is movableto'approxirnately ver-. tical andhorizontal and; intermediate 'positionsj'frela tive to said base bars;and'astifi metal tubeon saidi bolt enga'geable' withsaid rear struts,whereby said thumbgnut may be turned to 'clamp'the rear strutstol'thelinks in any position of the book rest. a

: lleferences-Citedinthe file-:of this-patent

